An individual using artificial intelligence tools reportedly impersonated U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio—sending fabricated voice messages and texts to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. governor, and a member of Congress via the encrypted messaging app Signal, according to a Washington Post report published Tuesday.
The impostor reportedly used AI software to closely mimic Rubio’s voice and writing style. The effort, believed to be aimed at manipulating recipients into revealing sensitive information or credentials, is detailed in a July 3 cable from the U.S. State Department reviewed by the newspaper and confirmed by a government source.
The State Department has not identified the person or group behind the AI impersonation but has launched a formal investigation into how the actor was able to deceive high-level officials using fake accounts. At least five targets are confirmed so far, with the potential for more.
This incident marks a troubling escalation in the malicious use of AI-generated media in diplomatic and political contexts, raising further concerns about authentication and digital security in international communications.